Dr Mobeus
Why New Garden Furniture Costs a Fortune
Walk into any garden centre or home store in May and you will see the same thing: a basic three-seater sofa set for £600, a dining table with four chairs for £450, and a single sun lounger for £180. Add a parasol and some cushions and you are looking at £1,000 before you have even sat down.
The thing is, garden furniture has one of the worst price-to-quality ratios in retail. Most of it sits outside for three months a year, gets rained on, and ends up in the shed by October. You do not need to spend that kind of money to have a lovely outdoor space to sit in.
This guide shows you how to save £500 or more on garden furniture with second-hand finds, DIY projects, and clever alternatives that look great and last for years.
Second-Hand Garden Furniture – Where to Find It and What to Pay
The single best way to save money on garden furniture is to buy it second-hand. People upgrade, move house, or simply get bored of their outdoor set every year, and their cast-offs are your bargains.
Facebook Marketplace
Facebook Marketplace is the goldmine for garden furniture in the UK. Search your local area and you will find dozens of listings at any given time. Here is what you should expect to pay:
- Rattan corner sofa set: £100-200 (retails £500-1,200)
- Metal bistro set: £20-40 (retails £80-150)
- Wooden bench: £30-60 (retails £120-300)
- Dining set with 4-6 chairs: £80-150 (retails £300-700)
- Sun lounger: £15-30 (retails £80-200)
Search for “garden furniture” plus your town name. Set the price filter to £0-100 and sort by newest. The best deals go fast, so turn on notifications and message sellers immediately. Be polite, turn up on time, and bring someone to help you carry it.
Freecycle and Freegle
Before you spend a penny, check Freecycle and Freegle. People genuinely give away garden furniture for free because they cannot be bothered to sell it. You will need to collect it yourself, usually within 24 hours, but free is free.
Post a “Wanted” ad too. Something simple like “Wanted: Garden chairs or table, can collect today” often gets responses from people who have something sitting in their garage they are happy to get rid of.
Charity Shops and Car Boot Sales
Larger charity shops sometimes stock garden furniture, especially the warehouse-style ones like British Heart Foundation Furniture and Electrical stores. Car boot sales are another good source – search Car Boot Junction for sales near you. Prices at car boots are usually negotiable and start from £5-10 for chairs.
Gumtree and eBay Local
Gumtree still has a decent selection of garden furniture, especially in larger cities. eBay with the “Collection Only” filter is also worth checking – search for “garden furniture” with “Used” condition and sort by distance. You would be surprised how many people sell full sets for under £50 because they are moving and need it gone that weekend.
DIY Garden Furniture Projects
If you are handy (or willing to learn), building your own garden furniture costs a fraction of buying new and looks brilliant. Here are three projects anyone can tackle.
Pallet Sofa – The Classic for a Reason
Wooden pallets are the backbone of cheap garden furniture, and for good reason. A pallet sofa costs roughly £20-40 in materials and looks genuinely stylish with the right cushions.
What you need:
- 3-4 wooden pallets (£0-5 each from local businesses, or free from construction sites that are discarding them)
- Sandpaper (medium and fine grit) – £5
- Exterior wood stain or paint – £12-20
- Cushions – see below
How to build it:
- Sand all surfaces thoroughly (this takes longer than you think – splinters are no fun)
- Stack two pallets on top of each other for the seat, one for the back
- Screw them together with exterior screws
- Apply two coats of exterior wood stain or paint
- Add cushions (more on this below)
Total cost: £20-40 for the frame, plus cushions. Compare that to £300-500 for a shop-bought equivalent.
Important: Make sure your pallets are stamped “HT” (heat treated) rather than “MB” (methyl bromide treated). HT pallets are safe for use. MB pallets have been chemically treated and should not be used for furniture, especially anything that will be near food or skin.
Concrete Block and Timber Bench
This is one of the simplest garden benches you can make, and it looks surprisingly modern. Two concrete blocks and three wooden planks give you a bench that seats three people.
What you need:
- 12 concrete blocks (approx £2 each from Wickes or B&Q) – £24
- 3 timber planks, 1.2m long (approx £8 each) – £24
- Exterior wood stain – £12
Total cost: about £60 for a bench that would cost £200+ in a shop. The blocks slot together to form the legs, and the planks sit across the top. No nails, no screws, no DIY experience needed.
Log Stools
If you have access to a tree that has been cut down (or know a tree surgeon), log stools are the easiest garden seats you will ever make. Cut a log to 40-45cm tall, sand the top and sides smooth, apply a coat of exterior varnish, and you have a rustic stool that looks like it belongs in a £50-a-head gastropub garden.
Tree surgeons often give logs away for free because they have to pay to dispose of them otherwise. Search Facebook for “tree surgeon” plus your area and ask nicely.
Clever Alternatives to Traditional Garden Furniture
Indoor Furniture That Works Outside
Not everything in your garden has to be “garden furniture.” A lot of indoor furniture works perfectly well outside with a coat of exterior varnish or some waterproof covers. Look for:
- Wooden dining chairs – £5-15 second-hand, varnish them for outdoor use
- Footstools and ottomans – cheap as chips at charity shops, perfect as extra seating
- Wooden crates – stack them as a side table or storage seat (£3-5 each from craft shops)
The key is choosing solid wood or metal pieces and protecting them. A £10 wooden chair from a charity shop, sanded and coated with exterior varnish (£8), gives you outdoor seating for under £20 that looks better than the plastic stuff from the garden centre.
Camping Chairs and Folding Furniture
Hear me out. A decent camping chair from Go Outdoors or Argos costs £15-25 and is genuinely comfortable. Yes, it looks like a camping chair – but a set of four (£60-100) beats a “proper” garden dining set at £400+ if you are on a tight budget.
Folding bistro sets from Argos start at around £40-60 for a table and two chairs, and they fold flat for storage. Decathlon sells outdoor furniture from £15 that is surprisingly durable.
Bean Bags and Floor Cushions
Outdoor bean bags have gone from novelty to genuinely popular, and for good reason – they are comfortable, weather-resistant, and much cheaper than outdoor sofas. Look for water-resistant options from around £25-40 each. B&Q, The Range, and Dunelm all stock them seasonally.
Floor cushions are even cheaper. Large outdoor floor cushions cost £10-20 each and create a relaxed, Moroccan-style seating area when scattered around a low table. Pair them with a pallet coffee table and you have a complete seating area for under £80.
Cushions on a Budget
The biggest hidden cost of garden furniture is cushions. A set of four outdoor cushions can cost £50-100, which rather defeats the point of your £30 pallet sofa. Here is how to get them cheap:
- Wilko and The Range: Seasonal outdoor cushions from £4-8 each. They might not last five years, but at that price, who cares?
- Dunelm sale: End-of-season outdoor cushion clearances start in late August. Last year’s patterns for £3-5 each.
- B&Q clearance: Similar end-of-season deals, often 50-70% off.
- Indoor cushions with waterproof covers: Buy cheap indoor cushions (£3-5 at discount shops) and make simple waterproof covers from shower curtain material (£4 from pound shops). Stitch or use fabric glue.
- Make your own: If you have a sewing machine, outdoor cushion covers from waterproof fabric cost about £3-4 each in materials.
How to Protect Your Cheap Furniture So It Lasts
The biggest mistake people make with budget garden furniture is not protecting it. A £30 pallet sofa that is varnished and covered will last for years. A £500 rattan set left out all winter will fall apart in two. Protect whatever you have:
- Exterior varnish or stain: Apply two coats at the start of each season (£12-20 per tin, covers several pieces)
- Waterproof covers: Universal furniture covers from £8-15 on Amazon or eBay. Cheaper than replacing furniture.
- Bring cushions inside: Every time. No exceptions. Cushions left outside grow mould within days in British weather.
- Store or cover in winter: Even hardy furniture lasts longer when protected from frost and rain.
The Complete Budget Garden Furniture Setup
Here is a full garden seating setup for under £100:
- Pallet sofa (3 pallets, stain, screws) – £30
- 2 log stools (free if you find a tree surgeon) – £0
- Pallet coffee table (1 pallet, casters) – £15
- 4 outdoor cushions (Wilko/The Range) – £20
- 2 floor cushions – £15
- Waterproof covers – £12
- Exterior varnish – £8
Total: £100 for a complete seating area that seats 6-8 people. The equivalent from a garden centre would cost £800-1,200.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Buying cheap plastic furniture: It cracks, fades, and ends up in landfill. Spend the same money on second-hand wood or metal that actually lasts.
- Not measuring your space: Measure your patio or lawn before you buy or build anything. The number of people who buy a corner sofa that does not fit their patio is staggering.
- Forgetting about storage: Where does it go in winter? If you do not have a shed or garage, choose folding or stackable furniture.
- Skipping the treatment: £15 of varnish protects £100+ of furniture. Do not skip it.
- Buying in May or June: Garden furniture is most expensive in peak summer. Buy in September-October when shops clear out stock at half price, or in January when new ranges come in.
Where to Find the Best Deals Right Now
Check out the latest deals at these retailers on freebies.co.uk:
- B&Q deals and discount codes – garden furniture sales and seasonal clearance
- Homebase deals – regular garden furniture promotions
- Argos deals – budget-friendly folding and bistro sets
- The Range deals – cheap cushions and accessories
- Dunelm deals – outdoor cushion sales and seasonal offers
The Bottom Line
You do not need to spend £1,000 on garden furniture to have a comfortable outdoor space. Second-hand rattan sets from Facebook Marketplace, pallet projects that cost £30 in materials, and clever alternatives like camping chairs and floor cushions all create seating areas that work just as well as the expensive stuff.
The secret is simple: buy second-hand where you can, build where you want to, protect whatever you end up with, and never pay full price in May when everything will be half price in September.
